Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsActs 27
English College of Douai–Rheims
Read Acts 27 in the BibleActs 27:31
Unless these tarry.
[1] When God revealeth to us any thing, or assureth us of any event to come, he dischargeth us not thereby of our requisite endeavours and labours for achieving the same, not executing ordinarily his designments towards men otherwise than by their own free-will and actions. S. Paul said not here, Let us do what we list: work we or sit we still, whether the mariners go out or tarry within, we are all sure to be saved, for so God hath revealed to me, and he cannot lie, neither can it fall otherwise. But contrarywise saith he, If these mariners leave the ship, you cannot be saved. So say all true Catholic preachers to Christian people, what providence, predestination, or foresight so ever God have of your salvation, you are not thereby constrained any way, you have free-will still, and cannot be saved (though you be predestinate) except you keep God's commandments, repent you of your sins, believe, live and die well. And if it were revealed to any man, that he were one of God's elect, & that he should finally die in grace and be saved, yet he were bound to work his salvation with fear and trembling, as [2] S. Paul both did, and taught, lest he become reprobate: no less than the same Apostle here and his fellows, though they had their life promised to them of God, yet were bound to labour and use all possible diligence that they might not be drowned.
Original Douay–Rheims Annotations — English College of Douai–Rheims. CC0 1.0
Acts 27:23
An Angel.
◦ S. Paul had many visions, specially to assure him that he should to Rome and stand before Cæsar, our Lord himself before (23, 11) appearing to him, and here an Angel, for that purpose. Whereby we plainly see the special providence of God toward that See, where his two principal Apostles were designed to preach, plant the faith, live, die, be buried, and honoured till the world's end.